The complete guide to Nicaragua

With active volcanoes, cloud forests, colonial cities and crowd-free beaches, it won’t be long before Central America’s best-kept secret is out in the open, writes Sarah Gilbert

Experience tropical island life off the coast of Nicaragua (Sarah Gilbert)

The largest country in Central America is still one of its least visited. Nicaragua’s Pacific coast has long been a haunt of surfers-in-the-know but, until recent years, it was the preserve of backpackers. Now sustainable yet stylish boutique hotels are springing up around the country and it’s being dubbed “the Costa Rica of 20 years ago”, with increasing numbers discovering its lakes and volcanoes – there are 19 active cones to climb – crowd-free beaches, wildlife-rich forests and vibrant colonial cities.

Where do I start?

International flights land in the sprawling capital, Managua. If you arrive late, the colonial-style boutique Hotel Los Robles is a good place to spend the night.